18^th Sunday of the Year - B

Exodus 16: 2-4, 12-15; Psalm 77; Ephes. 17, 20-24; John 6: 24-35

Read: Jesus answered them: “In all truth I tell you, you are looking for me not because you have seen the signs, but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat. Do not work for food that goes away, but work for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of man will give you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.”

Reflect: That which in last Sunday’s Gospel – the sharing of bread amongst a great crowd of people – appeared to show Jesus’ popularity amongst the people, to the extent that they wished to make him their King, for Jesus was an episode of disappointment. This because, those people, appeared not to understand the sign that he wished to convey to them.

Jesus noticed that those people were not seeking him because they were hungry for his words, because they wished to better understand his message, or so that they would have a clearer understanding of the signs he had done. They were looking for him only in the hope that they would again have food in abundance without having to work to obtain this. Because of this attitude of these people of the Gospel, the evangelist invites every Christina to examine one’s motivation for seeking the Lord, to take refuge in Him, to pray and to practice one’s religion.

There is a need for us to admit that sometimes, like these people who witnessed the signs of the sharing of the bread, we approach Jesus only to ask for bread that is eaten and goes away: special graces; miracles; good health; success; material means; refuge from disasters. Jesus tells us: “Do not work for food that goes away, but work for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of man will give you.”

Pray: “Master give us always from this bread”.

Act:  Bread that satisfies the need for one’s happiness is the Word of Jesus. Let us read and reflect on the Word of Jesus as the bread that gives life to those who eat it.